Mobile commerce framework

ABSTRACT

A subscription-based system for providing commerce information for one or more mobile devices for one or more merchants. Some techniques employed feature a subscription-based method for presenting commercial resources to a mobile device. The method involves receiving mobile device user information relating to a geographic location to locate one or more merchants within a subscription-based shopping network, and receiving mobile device user information relating to a merchant type within the subscription-based shopping network. The method also involves receiving, from a database over a communication network, information for one or more merchants associated with the mobile device user information for the geographic location and the merchant type, and presenting the associated merchant information on the mobile device. The associated merchant information can include a merchant name and address, a merchant telephone number, a merchant advertisement, a merchant coupon, or a merchant product or service offering to subscribers of the shopping network.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. ProvisionalApplication entitled “HOT-MERCHANT NETWORK (MOBILE-COMMERCE ORM-MERCHANT NETWORK)”, Application No. 60/574,988 filed May 26, 2004 byRandolph A. Jaramillo, the disclosure of which is incorporated byreference. This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/094,379, entitled “DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR SOLVINGCHALLENGES IN TELECOM SALES AND MARKETING,” filed Mar. 8, 2002 byRandolph A. Jaramillo.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to mobile media content, in particularsubscription-based content for mobile devices and applications.

BACKGROUND

The growth of the use of cell phones and mobile devices has led togreater communication among individuals and companies. In addition tobeing used as communication devices for voice and text data, mobiledevices can be also be used as scheduling devices by synchronizing themobile device with computers to upload data for addresses andappointments. Mobile devices can also be used as entertainment devicesby having capabilities to play computer games, play music, and videoclips. As the third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) mobiletelecommunication systems are developed and deployed, users can increasetheir ability to communicate, entertain, and schedule by using mobiledevices with increased processing speeds, longer battery life, and/orprocessing and transmitting higher data rates.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and techniques forsubscription-based services using mobile devices.

In one general aspect the disclosure relates to a system for providingcommercial resources for subscribers using a mobile device. The systemincludes a communication network for communicating with the mobiledevice, an application program executable on the mobile device andconfigured for locating one or more of the commercial resources. Thesystem also includes an identification card associated with thesubscriber and the corresponding mobile device. The identification cardprovides verification that the subscriber has subscription rights toaccess the commercial resources. The commercial resources includeinformation relating to goods and services provided by merchants withina shopping network communicating with the communication network.

Advantageous implementations can include one or more of the followingfeatures. The mobile device can be configured to interact with adatabase of merchant information over the communication network. Thedatabase can be configured to store information associated with thesubscribers and with merchants within the shopping network. Theapplication program can be configured to receive subscriber preferencesfor merchants based on any of an area code, a city name, a townshipname, or a zip code. The system may also have a mapping tool to findresources in the database for the subscriber preferences. Theapplication program may be configured to present information relating tothe commercial resources. The commercial resources can include amerchant name, a merchant address, a merchant advertisement, a merchanttelephone number, a merchant coupon, a merchant product offering, or amerchant service offering.

The communication network may include a satellite channel, a telephonychannel, an optical channel, a wireless channel, a cable channel, or theInternet. Subscriber data can be associated with the identificationcard, and the subscriber data may be maintained by a member serviceintermediary. The member service intermediary can provide the commercialresources and the application program to the mobile device over thecommunication network. The member service intermediary may coordinatereceiving commercial resources from merchants and providing thecommercial resources to the mobile device over the communicationnetwork.

In another general aspect, techniques feature a subscription-basedmethod for presenting merchant information to a mobile device. Themethod include receiving mobile device user information relating to ageographic location to locate one or more merchants within asubscription-based shopping network, and receiving mobile device userinformation relating to a merchant type within the subscription-basedshopping network. The method involves receiving, from a database over acommunication network, information for one or more merchants associatedwith the mobile device user information for the geographic location andthe merchant type, and presenting the associated merchant information onthe mobile device.

Advantageous implementations can include one or more of the followingfeatures. The device user information relating to a geographic locationcan include any of an area code, a ZIP code, a city name, or a townshipname. Each merchant within the subscription-based shopping network maybe associated with at least one merchant type in the database, in whichthe merchant type may be classified by at least a product or serviceprovided by the merchant. The merchant type may include, for example, afood merchant type, an entertainment merchant type, a health and beautymerchant type, or a travel type.

The associated merchant information can include a merchant name, amerchant address, a merchant advertisement, a merchant coupon, amerchant product offering to subscribers of the shopping network, or amerchant service offering to subscribers of the shopping network. Themethod may involve sending the mobile device user information for thegeographic location and the merchant type to the database over thecommunication network. The method may also involve linking membershipcard identification to the subscription-based shopping network.

In another general aspect, the disclosure relates to a computer programproduct for executing real-estate transactions on a mobile device. Thecomputer program product includes a real estate qualification tool toqualify a real estate transaction, a loan initiation tool to initiate aloan, real estate data to store in the mobile device, and one or moretemplates and forms for the loan initiation tool and the real estatequalification tool. The one or more templates and forms includepre-populated data. The loan initiation tool and the real estatequalification tool are operable to use real estate data transmitted overa communication network in near-real time (i.e., substantially inreal-time with a small time delay for data transmission).

Advantageous implementations can include one or more of the followingfeatures. The computer program product can include a signature capturingtool to capture a signature. The signal capturing tool may be used tocapture a signature and send the captured signature over thecommunication network. The computer program product may have a creditcheck tool to handle data related to checking a credit of real estateapplicant(s), in which the credit check tool can be used for datatransmitted over the communication network. The computer program productmay include a mortgage calculator operable to perform real-estatecalculations. The mortgage calculator can have functionality forcalculation of monthly payments, interest and principal payments, loanfees, loan points, estimated deductions, transaction costs, amortizationschedules, and percentage rates.

The computer program product may have instructions operable to executeapplication programs delivered from a membership services intermediary.The membership services intermediary may organize information for a userof the computer program product and a mortgage broker. The computerprogram product may be configured to receive updated real estateinformation over the communication network from a mortgage broker. Theupdated real estate information may be received in near-real time.

The computer program product may have instructions to cause aprogrammable processor to locate information for a real estate serviceprovider from any of a zip code, a telephone country code, a telephonenumber area code, a city name, or a state name entered into the mobiledevice. The computer program product may also have instructions to causea programmable processor to rank mortgage brokers based one or morefactors. The one or more factors can include a cost of a loan from themortgage broker, a fee of the mortgage broker, and a geographic locationof the mortgage broker. The pre-populated data for the one or moretemplates and forms may include names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

The communication network may include any of a satellite channel, atelephony channel, an optical channel, a wireless channel, a cablechannel, or the Internet. The computer program product may also have areal estate tool suite that includes information for real estatelocations, real estate values for one or more areas, charts to showbidding ranges, directions to property locations, area neighborhoodinformation, a listing of mortgage brokers, and a listing of homemaintenance, repair service providers, and local home improvementstores. The real estate tool suite may be operable to use informationtransmitted over the communication network in near-real time.

In another general aspect the disclosure relates to a computer programproduct, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium for presentingmerchant information to a mobile device, including instructions operableto cause a programmable processor to receive mobile device userinformation relating to a geographic location to locate one or moremerchants within a subscription-based shopping network. The instructionsare also operable to cause a programmable processor to receive mobiledevice user information relating to a merchant type within thesubscription-based shopping network, and receive, from a database over acommunication network, information for one or more merchants associatedwith the mobile device user information for the geographic location andthe merchant type. The instructions are also operable to cause aprogrammable processor to present the associated merchant information onthe mobile device.

Advantageous implementations can include one or more of the followingfeatures. The computer program product can include instructions operableto send any the of mobile device user information for the geographiclocation and the merchant type to the database over the communicationnetwork. The device user information relating to the geographic locationcan include any of an area code, a ZIP code, a city name, or a townshipname. Each merchant within the subscription-based shopping network canbe associated with at least one merchant type in the database. Themerchant type can be classified by at least a product or serviceprovided by the merchant. The associated merchant information caninclude any of a merchant name, a merchant address, a merchant telephonenumber, a merchant advertisement, a merchant coupon, a merchant productoffering to subscribers of the shopping network, or a merchant serviceoffering to subscribers of the subscription-based shopping network.

The computer program product can include instructions operable toexecute application programs delivered from a membership servicesintermediary. The membership services intermediary can organizeinformation for the one or more merchants and subscribers within thesubscription-based shopping network. The computer program product canhave instructions operable to synchronize subscription-based shoppingnetwork data with a web portal, and provide the membership servicesintermediary with access to the web portal.

In some implementations, the mobile device may have software to interactwith a shopping network to provide information relating to deals, sales,bargains, and coupons for merchants and services in a particular areacode and city. Subscribers to the shopping network can include mobiledevice users. The shopping network can include merchants and serviceproviders and can include a shopping network intermediary to registerthe merchants and service providers into the shopping network.

Some advantages for the mobile device users include an ability toreceive information relating to product and services for a particulargeographic area. The received information can include deals, sales,bargains, and coupons for merchants and services in a particular areacode and city. The received information may also be oriented for aselected type of product or service.

Other advantages include a wireless and/or telecom service providerusing the shopping network to increase customer retention, loyalty, andadd service contracts for mobile device users. The wireless and/ortelecom service provider can increase sales of their products and reducelosing customers due to number portability and customer turnover. Numberportability can refer to an ability for mobile phone users to changeservice carriers while keeping the same phone number. The shoppingnetwork can also serve as an incentive for new customers to select tohave service with the telecom service provider. The shopping networkincentive can be on top of other incentives to join a telecom serviceprovider, such as a type of phone, a number of minutes for a cell phoneplan, a coverage area, and promotional accessories, such as batteries,cases, and battery chargers.

Still, other advantages include having merchants and service providerswithin the shopping network to have customers directed to the merchants'goods and services. The deals, sales, bargains, and coupons offered bymerchants in a particular area code and city can be used to increaserevenue for the merchants without additional spending on advertising.

In other implementations, the mobile device can include software toolsthat can be used in the real estate and mortgage industries. Forexample, the mobile devices can be used to conduct real estatetransactions, check customer credit ratings, form contracts, prepareloan applications and approvals, can capture signatures. Real estateagents can use the mobile device software to conduct their business withcustomers away from their office. Mortgage companies can receivecustomer information for the loan process and submit a status of theloan application to the mobile device user.

Some information may be accessible to mobile devices on a fee basis viaan authentication mechanism utilizing user names and passwordprotection. Alternatively, some information may be freely provided, aslong as the mobile device user remains a subscriber. The content sent tothe mobile device user may be individually customized based on thesubscriber's preferences.

The subscription system can include an external subscription database tostore information associated with subscribers. The use of subscriberpreferences may involve sending merchant information to the mobiledevice of the subscriber based on an area code, a telephone countrycode, a zip code and/or city and state names. The received informationmay be compared with zip codes, telephone country codes, telephonenumber area codes, and/or city and state names stored in a networkeddatabase, and merchant information or real estate information may beprovided to the one or more mobile devices when information receivedfrom the one or more mobile devices corresponds with similar or the sameinformation stored in the networked database.

The communication network for the mobile device may include any one of asatellite channel, a telephony channel, an optical channel, a wirelesschannel, a cable channel, and the Internet. The event data provided maybe based on a geographic region relating to any of the zip codes,telephone codes, or city and state information.

Details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanyingdrawings and the description below. Other features and advantages willbe apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DRAWING DESCRIPTIONS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary block diagram of a mobile device.

FIGS. 2A-2B show exemplary block diagrams of mobile device interactionswith the subscription service.

FIGS. 3A-3B show exemplary flowcharts for the using the software toolson the mobile device.

FIG. 4 shows exemplary mobile device software components.

FIG. 5 shows exemplary functions of the mobile device's softwarecomponents.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description makes reference to the accompanyingdrawings. Other embodiments of the present disclosure are possible andmodifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from thespirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the following detaileddescription is not meant to limit the disclosure.

Moreover, for convenience in the ensuing description, some explanationsof terms are provided herein. However, the explanations contained hereinare intended to be exemplary only. They are not intended to limit theterms as they are described or referred to throughout the specification.Rather these explanations are meant to include any additional aspectsand/or examples of the terms as described and claimed herein and/or asused by one of skill in the art.

The following describes various tasks, techniques, and systems relatingto fee-based or free subscription-based services for mobile devices. Insome applications, the subscription-based services related to locatingservices provided from merchants and service providers in a shoppingnetwork. In other applications, the mobile device can include tools forservices for real estate agents and mortgage companies.

FIG. 1 illustrates a mobile device 10 for conducting mobilecommunications. The mobile device 10 includes a housing 20. The housing20 may generally be formed of a durable material, such as hardenedplastic or metal, to house and protect the components of the mobiledevice 10. The mobile device 10 further includes a memory 22, one ormore processors 24, an antenna 28, a data display device 30, and one ormore application programs 32. The memory 22 stores application programsand data. Examples of the memory 22 include, but are not limited to,electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM) and/or electricallyerasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM). Other structuresfor the memory 22 may be employed.

The memory 22 is operably connected to the processor 24 so that theprocessor 24 may execute one or more application programs stored in thememory 22. The memory 22 may be electrically connected or opticallyconnected to the processor 24 so that digital signals may becommunicated between processor 24 and memory 22. Processor 24 isoperably connected to data input device 26, which may permit a user ofmobile device 10 to input data into memory 22 that can be acted upon byprocessor 24.

The mobile device 10 further includes one or more data input devices 26by which a user enters data and instructions into the mobile device 10.Examples of data input devices include, but are not limited to, keypads,keyboards, microphones, and/or touch screens. An antenna 28 is operablyconnected to the processor 24 so that signals generated by processor 24may be transmitted from the mobile device 10 to one or more othercommunication devices that can receive the signals. The antenna 28 mayreceive signals from one or more communication devices and may relay orcommunicate those signals to the processor 24 so that the signals may beprocessed or stored in memory 22. The antenna 28 is a component of bothdata transmitting means and data receiving means for the communicationdevice. A display device 30 can be operably connected to the processor24 to display data input by the user of mobile device 10 and/or datareceived by antenna 28. Those having skill in the art will realize thatthe mobile device 10 is not limited only to the components shown ordescribed, and that additional components may be provided.

The mobile device 10 also includes one or more application programs 32,which can be stored in memory 22 and executed by processor 24. Eachapplication program 32 includes a set of instructions that are executedby processor 24. Each application program 32 is executed to processtransaction data or to locate merchants based on user input or userrequests.

After the data has been entered into the mobile device 10, the data maybe transmitted over a computer network to a data storage device. Forexample, a suitable data storage device may be a database on a computer.The computer network may be any type of computer network, includinglocal area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet.The computer network may be a hard-wired network, a wireless network, ora combination thereof. In some implementations, the computer networkincludes a wireless network between the mobile device and a computer ata wireless signal receiving station.

FIGS. 2A-2B show block diagrams of interactions within a subscriptionservice for providing commercial resources. FIG. 2A shows a frameworkfor software applications 125 on a mobile device 120 interacting with anexemplary subscription service 122 for commercial resources. Within theframework, the mobile device 120 is connected with a communicationnetwork 115. The communication network 115 interacts with a server 130that is connected to a database 135. The database 135 stores informationfor merchants, service providers, and members associated with thesubscription service for commercial resources. Merchant information mayinclude, for example, a category or type of service or product providedby the merchant, the address information of the merchants, and relatedadvertising and pricing information.

In some implementations, the subscription service 122 may be a shoppingnetwork with multiple merchants 160 that provide commercial resourcesincluding merchant information, special deals, bargains, discounts,coupons, rebates, and advertisements to subscribers of the shoppingnetwork. Subscribers of the shopping network may have a member card 165to show membership to the shopping network and can receive informationfor the special deals, bargains, discounts, and advertisements from themerchants using the applications 125 on the mobile device 120. A memberservice intermediary 175 can provide member cards 165 to subscribers ofthe shopping network and can interact with merchants 160 associated withthe shopping network. The member service intermediary 175 can alsoprovide software to subscribers for the mobile device 120 either via thecommunication network 115 (e.g., a software download) or via a physicalstorage medium (e.g., an application to install from a compact disc).The member service intermediary 175 can arrange, modify, and organizedata in the database 135.

A subscriber to the shopping network can use a mobile device 120 toenter information about their present geographic area and a preferredtype of service or good, and the member service intermediary 175 uses amapping tool 140 to match merchant information, such as merchant types155 and merchant address information (e.g., zip 145 and city 150) withuser preferences.

Alternatively, the mobile device 120 may be configured to automaticallylocate a geographical area in which the mobile device 120 is located.For example, the mobile device 120 may have global positioning system(GPS) capabilities or may have capabilities to locate a local area code.For example, the mobile device 120 can send a signal to atelecommunications service carrier and the telecommunications servicecarrier can identify a general location of the signal received based onsatellite positioning or based on an interaction with a base stationwithin the local area of the mobile device.

Information that is matched from the mapping tool 140 can be sent fromthe server 130 through the communication network 115 and back to themobile device 120. The applications 125 on the mobile device 120 canshow one or more merchants that are matched within the shopping networkrelating to the submitted user preferences. A user of the mobile device120 can visit the one or more matched merchants to receive themerchant's advertised goods and services. The user of the mobile device120 can also show the member card 165 to merchants to show memberidentification and verify that he or she is subscribed to the shoppingnetwork. In some implementations, the membership card 165 may also serveas a debit card or credit card. In addition to or instead of a membercard 165, the mobile device itself may have membership information onhardware or software to identify a member.

FIG. 2B shows a framework for software components 125, 210, 215, 230,235 on a mobile device 120 interacting with an exemplary subscriptionservice for commercial resources. The exemplary block diagram of themobile device 120 shown include applications 125 related to thesubscription service, such as software for graphical user interfaces(GUIs) for subscription service entries and results for commercialresources. The mobile device 120 includes tools for a subscriptionnetwork, such as a calculator, a tool to estimate distance to merchants,and tools to organize merchant information. The tools 230 may alsoinclude encryption and decryption capabilities, and software forpasswords and mobile user identification names. The exemplary mobiledevice 120 shown has signature capture capabilities 235, which can beuseful in completing transactions, making purchases, forming contracts,and submitting financial and loan information. The exemplary mobiledevice 120 includes templates 215 for forms and documents, and themobile device 120 also includes data 210 associated with the subscriber,merchants, member services intermediary, and transactions.

As in FIG. 2A, the mobile device in FIG. 2B can be coupled to a database135 through a server 130 connected to a communication network 115. Theserver 130 may also couple to a computer 240. The computer 240 may be,for example, a desktop computer, notebook computer, or a workstation ata home or office. The computer can use a web portal 240 to receive datafrom the mobile device 120 sent over the communication network 115.Instead of or in addition to interacting with the computer 240 over thecommunication network, the mobile device 120 can upload and downloaddata with the computer 240 via a synchronization tool 260. The mobiledevice 120 may physically connect to the synchronization tool or mayconnect to the synchronization tool 260 wirelessly. In someimplementations, the synchronization tool 260 may be part of a data hub.The synchronization tool 260 may be able to transmit data andinformation between the mobile device and the computer 240 at data ratesthat are higher than over the communication network 115. Whensynchronizing the mobile device, “offline” entries, edits, and changesto the data 210, tools 230, applications 125, signatures, and/ortemplates 215 can be updated to or from the mobile device 210. Entitiesassociated with the subscription system, including subscribers,merchants, and the member services intermediary, may be able to updateand modify shopping network information using a given web portal ormobile device.

FIGS. 3A-3B show flowcharts for the using the software tools on themobile device. FIG. 3A shows a series of questions that are prompted toa user of the mobile device for the shopping network. When opening asoftware application related to the shopping network, the a “welcomescreen” is displayed on the device (block 310). The software applicationmay prompt the mobile device user to enter an area code to locatemerchants and service providers (block 320). The software applicationmay prompt the mobile device user to enter a particular location withinthat area code, such as a city or township within the entered area code(block 330). The software application may then prompt the mobile deviceuser to enter a particular merchant type, such as a merchant type forfood, entertainment, or travel (block 340). The software application mayshow available merchant offerings for the selected merchant type withinthe selected geographical area (block 350).

FIG. 3B shows an example of the software application flowchart shown inFIG. 3A. In FIG. 3B, a “welcome screen” is shown on the mobile device(block 315). The welcome screen may have selections for the mobile userto begin to navigate the options provided in the shopping network. Forexample, if the user selects to refer another potential mobile deviceuser to subscribe to the shopping network, the user may receiveadditional promotional offers from merchants. If the user selects tolocate merchants in a geographic area, then the software applicationprompts the mobile device user to enter an area code to locate merchantsand service providers (block 325). The software application may promptthe mobile device user to enter a particular location within that areacode, such as a city or township within the entered area code (block335). The software application may then prompt the mobile device user toenter a particular merchant type, such as a merchant type forautomobiles, food, entertainment, travel, or health and beauty (block345). The software application on the mobile device may show availablemerchant offerings for the selected merchant type within the selectedgeographical area (block 355). For example, if a “Food” merchant type isselected (block 345), then offerings from merchants for restaurants canbe shown (block 355). The offerings from the merchants may includeaddress and telephone information for the merchants, as well as specialdiscounts for shopping network subscribers. In some implementations,subscribers to the shopping network may show a membership card tomerchants to verify membership in the shopping network.

The merchants within the shopping network can change or update productor service offerings in near-real time (e.g., substantially in real-timewith a small time delay for data transmission). The near-real timeupdates of offerings can provide advantages over paper coupons orprinted advertising. For example, a mobile device user may be able tosee the latest offerings in a local area without the hassle of trying todetermine whether a merchant offering has expired. In oneimplementation, the latest product offerings can be downloaded onto themobile device whenever a mobile device user attempts to search forofferings on the mobile device. The merchants may be able to update andchange offerings on a web portal.

FIG. 4 shows mobile device software components. In addition to thesoftware components 125, 210, 215, 230, 235 on the mobile device 120described with respect to FIG. 2B, the mobile device 120 may have toolsand applications for the real estate and mortgage industries. Forexample, the mobile device 120 may have software for a mortgagecalculator 410. In some exemplary implementations, the mortgagecalculator 410 may have a functionality to calculate monthly loanpayments, interest and principal payments, loan fees, points,deductions, transaction costs, amortization schedules, and annualpercentage rates. The mobile device 120 may have a credit check tool 430to handle data related to checking the credit of real estate applicants.The credit check tool 430 may interact with data from the web portal 245shown in FIG. 2B.

In some implementations, a mortgage application tool 440 may use thetemplates 215 and data 210 in the mobile device 120 for preparation ofmortgage applications 440. For example, the templates 215 and data 210in the mobile device 120 may be pre-populated with data, such as addressand telephone information. Alternatively, a user of the mobile devicecan pre-populate data fields within a mortgage application templatewhile the user is away from a computer or home office. The mortgageapplication tool 440 can be used to make real estate agents moreefficient, and can allow the agents to conduct transactions at variouslocations. The mobile device may also have a real estate tool suite 420.The real estate tool suite 420 may include, for example, information forreal estate locations, real estate values for particular areas, chartsto show bidding ranges, directions to properties, area neighborhoodinformation, a listing of mortgage brokers, and a listing of homemaintenance and repair service providers.

FIG. 5 shows exemplary functions 560 of the mobile device's softwarecomponents in a real estate example. The mobile device can be used totransmit client information (block 510). The mobile device can interactwith the communication network, as described in FIG. 2B, and one or moreweb portals (block 530). The mobile device can qualify a transaction(block 515) using one or more of the tools and applications described inFIG. 4. The mobile device may be used to initiate a loan (block 520) andcapture a client's signature (block 525). The mobile device may able beused to process client information received from the web portal (block535). As shown in FIG. 2B, the mobile device can synchronize with acomputer. Data from the mobile device can be synchronized to process theloan application (block 540).

A mortgage loan company may have an origination system to receiveinformation loaded into one or more real estate web portals. Themortgage loan origination system can poll the one or more real estateportals and import or export client information for the loan originationprocess.

In some implementations, a subscriber system can use a password toauthenticate a subscriber for the service. User names and userpreferences may be stored in one or more databases. Each user may have auser name and password, and the mobile device users may have the abilityto select from an array of merchants and/or services. In someimplementations, the mobile device users can enter zip codes, telephonecountry codes, telephone number area codes, city and state names bycomparing zip code/phone or country codes preferences to the contentproviders zip code/phone and complete telephone numbers to enablessubscribers to choose from among a range of merchants and/or servicesthat may be available. Each mobile device user may set up individualizeduser preferences on the desired content, if a customer, or real estateservice, if an agent. The subscription service provider may have contentthat is specific for various zip codes, country codes or area codes.

The subscription system can allow the real estate agent to close a dealwith a client at any location, whether in a real estate office orremotely (i.e., out in the field). The subscription system is notlimited to forming contracts and accepting offers in the real estateindustry, but may be used in other industries, such as the insuranceindustry, the automobile industry, and the travel industry.

In some implementations, the mobile device may have advertising fromlocal and national mortgage loan companies. The mortgage loan companycan subscribe to the subscriber system to generate business and providereal estate agents with near-real time lending information and rates.The mobile device may also have software to rank the mortgage loancompany based on one or more factors, such as the cost of the lender,the fees of the lenders, and/or whether the lender is national orregional.

The mortgage loan companies within the shopping network can change orupdate service offerings or rate information in near-real time (e.g.,substantially in real-time with a small time delay for datatransmission). The near-real time updates of offerings can provideadvantages over printed advertising or going back to the office to checkthe Internet for the latest rates and fees. In one implementation, thelatest offerings can be downloaded onto the mobile device whenever amobile device user attempts to search for offerings, rate information,real estate, or contract information on the mobile device. The mortgageloan companies may be able to update and change offerings on a webportal. In some implementations, subscribing to the subscriber systemcan also allow the mobile device user to have access to the discountsand promotions for the shopping network described in FIGS. 1-3B.

Examples of communication networks include various forms or mediums ofdata communications, such as a local area network (“LAN”), a wide areanetwork (“WAN”), a wireless local area network (“WLAN”), and a personalarea network (“PAN”). Other examples of communication networks include amobile communication network using a multiple access technology, such asa cellular phone network with Code Division Multiple Access, (“CDMA”), asatellite network, and the Internet.

The data that can be sent over the communication network can bedisplayed on one or more mobile devices such as computers, cell phones,and personal digital assistants (PDAs). The communication network caninteract with a server to communicate with multiple devices. The servermay refer to one or more hardware servers, or software servers, such asa server program. The devices may be internet-compatible devices and maybe connected through a cellular phone network. As used herein, a mobiledevice may also refer to any general-purpose mobile machine thatprocesses data according to a set of instructions that is storedinternally either temporarily or permanently, including, but not limitedto, general-purpose mobile computers, laptop computers,internet-compatible mobile phones, wired or wireless laptop computers.The mobile devices may also include satellite-based transmissiondevices, smart client devices (that actively fetch data and store datalocally), wireless devices, a cellular or mobile telephone, anelectronic handheld unit for the wireless receipt and/or transmission ofdata, a media content playable device, such as an MP3 player, or thelike.

Although the some of the implementations of the disclosure herein aredescribed with particular reference to wireless telephones, thedisclosure is not to be construed as being limited only to wirelesstelephones. For instance, mobile devices can include portable handheldcommunication devices including, at least, portable computers, such aspersonal digital assistants, and text messaging systems, such as two-waypagers, and mobile email communication tools, such as Research inMotion, Ltd.'s (RIM) Blackberry. In other words, the present disclosurecan encompass handheld communication devices that are capable ofcommunicating over multiple different communication networks, includingwireless computer networks. The handheld communication devices can beable to communicate with one or more handheld communication devices,and/or one or more computers operably connected to the computer network.Handheld communication devices can be able to transmit data input by auser of the device to a data storage device, such as a computer, andmore particularly, a database of the computer. In addition, the handheldcommunication device can be able to receive data over a computernetwork, for example, by the computer to which it transmitted the data.Each device may have a specific or unique internet address, in which thecommunication network may direct data to one or more devices based onthe device's internet address.

To provide for interaction with a user, the mobile devices can use adisplay, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display(LCD) monitor, which displays information to the user and a keyboardand/or a pointing device, such as a mouse or a trackball, to serve asinput to the mobile device. The mobile device may provide feedback tothe user with any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback ortactile feedback.

The communication network may include a back end component, such as adata server, or a middleware component, such as an application server,or a front end component, such as a client computer having a graphicaluser interface, portal, or a Web browser through which a user caninteract with an implementation of the systems and techniques describedhere. The mobile device itself may have a front end component thatincludes a graphical user interface. In general, the communicationnetwork and/or the mobile device may use any combination of such backend, middleware, or front end components.

The software (also known as programs, software tools or code) mayinclude machine instructions for a programmable processor, and can beimplemented in a high-level procedural and/or object-orientedprogramming language, and/or in assembly/machine language. The mobiledevice may have an Application Programming Interface (API). For example,the mobile device may also run on a Binary Runtime Environment forWireless (BREW) platform, an open-source on-line application developmentplatform for wireless CDMA devices from Qualcomm, Inc. of San Diego,Calif. The BREW platform can allow application developers to writeprograms and scripts in various software languages, such as C, C++,JAVA, and XML. The mobile device may have a software media player, suchas a Windows media player, that can show text data and/or a videopresentation.

As used herein, the term “machine-readable medium” refers to anycomputer program product, apparatus and/or device used to providemachine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor, includinga machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as amachine-readable signal. The machine-readable medium refers to magneticdiscs, optical disks, memory, Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), and thelike. The term “machine-readable signal” refers to any signal used toprovide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor.

In some implementations, the subscriber may have preferences for datafrom merchants and/or service providers based on selected zip codes,area codes, or country codes of the merchants and/or service providers.The subscriber data may be authenticated by a subscriber data interface.In some implementations, the mobile device subscribers may be mobilephone subscribers. In other implementations, the mobile devicesubscribers may be using WiMax, the IEEE 802.16 Air Interface Standard.The mobile device subscribers can enter a user name and a password forauthentication via a subscriber database interface.

In some implementations, the subscribers may have a free subscription tothe shopping network or real estate services. In other implementations,the subscribers may have a fee-based subscription to the shoppingnetwork or real estate services. Alternatively, the subscribers may havea free subscription to some free real estate service providers and afee-based subscription to fee-based other real estate service providers.

The merchant types are not limited to the merchant types shown in FIG.3B, but may include other merchant types. For example, other merchanttypes may include merchants that provide goods and services in areas forpets, clothing and accessories, toys, books, hardware and tools,computers, electronics, jewelry, music, watches, sports, gifts, outdoorgear, arts, crafts, antiques, rentals, and home and garden supplies andservices. In some implementations, the mobile device user may navigatethrough additional prompts to search among the additional merchanttypes. In some implementations, the shopping network may form apartnership with a wireless communication carrier and merchantssubscribed to the shopping network may have privileges to presentpromotional offerings to the wireless communication carrier subscribers.

Other implementations maybe within the scope of the following claims.

1. A subscription-based method for presenting merchant information to amobile device, the method comprising: receiving, at a server system overa communication network from the mobile device, a user inputted searchfor a merchant type within a geographical area and a useridentification, the request having been received at the mobile devicevia a user interface presented by an application that runs on the mobiledevice; authenticating the user identification to verify that the userhas a membership in a subscription-based shopping network; accessing, bythe server system, a database storing information pertaining tomerchants participating in the subscription-based shopping network, theaccessing comprising identifying a matched merchant of the merchantsparticipating in the subscription-based shopping network, the matchedmerchant having a physical location within the geographical area andbeing associated in the database with the merchant type; retrieving,from the database by the server system, associated information for thematched merchant, the associated information comprising a name of thematched merchant, information regarding the physical location of thematched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matchedmerchant, the promotional offer incentivizing the user to visit thephysical location of the matched merchant and demonstrate the user'smembership in the subscription-based shopping network to receive adiscount on a product or a service from the matched merchant; andtransmitting, from the server system over the communication network forpresentation to the user via the user interface on the mobilecommunication device, the associated information.
 2. The method inaccordance with claim 1, wherein each merchant participating in thesubscription-based shopping network is associated with at least onemerchant type in the database, wherein the merchant is classified by atleast a product or service provided by the merchant.
 3. The method inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the merchant type is selected from agroup consisting of a food merchant type, an entertainment merchanttype, a health and beauty merchant type, and a travel type.
 4. Themethod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the promotional offercomprises one or more of an advertisement and a coupon that the userredeems by visiting the physical location of the merchant anddemonstrating the user's membership in the subscription-based shoppingnetwork.
 5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein thegeographical area is determined based on mobile device locationinformation obtained using a location device on the mobile device, thelocation device being selected from a group consisting of a globalpositioning system device and an antenna that receives a signal from atelecommunications service carrier.
 6. The method in accordance withclaim 1, further comprising verifying the user's membership in theshopping network when the user visits the matched merchant beforeproviding the discount on the product or a service from the matchedmerchant.
 7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the useridentification comprises receiving, at the server system from the mobiledevice over the communication network, one or more of a user name and apassword; and wherein the method further comprises: verifying that username and/or password identify the user's membership in thesubscription-based shopping network before transmitting the associatedinformation for the one or more merchants to the mobile device.
 8. A Themethod as in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: receiving, atthe server system from the matched merchant participating in thesubscription-based shopping network, a new promotional offer; updatingthe promotional offer in the associated information for the matchedmerchant; and including only a current promotional offer in theassociated information transmitted from the server system to the mobiledevice over the communication network.
 9. The method in accordance withclaim 1, wherein the search comprises a first response to a first promptfor the geographic area within which the user wishes to locate themerchants and/or service providers and a second response to a secondprompt for the merchant type that the user wishes to locate.
 10. Themethod in accordance with claim 9, wherein the response to the secondprompt comprises one or more of an area code, a ZIP code, a city name,or a township name.
 11. The method in accordance with claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving, at the server system over the communicationnetwork from the mobile device, an indication that the user has referredanother potential mobile device user to become a member of thesubscription-based shopping network; and transmitting an additionalpromotional offer to the mobile device over the communication network aspart of the associated information.
 12. The method in accordance withclaim 1, further comprising: registering a new merchant to the registryof merchant when the new merchant is added to the subscription-basedshopping network.
 13. The method in accordance with claim 1, furthercomprising: offering, from a telecommunications service provider to theuser, a subscription to the subscription-based shopping network as aadditional incentive to join the telecommunications service provider foraccess to the communication network, the communication networkcomprising a wireless network.
 14. The method in accordance with claim1, wherein the user identification information comprises one or more ofa user name and a password.
 15. A mobile communication devicecomprising: means for locating a geographic area in which the mobilecommunication device is operated; an antenna that exchanges signals withone or more other communication devices over a wireless network an inputdevice via which a user of the mobile communication device inputsinformation; a display device via which the user of the mobilecommunication device receives information from the mobile communicationdevice; a processor that sends and receives the signals exchanged by theantenna; a memory operably connected to the processor and storing anapplication program including machine instructions that, when executedby the processor cause the processor to perform functions comprising:receiving the geographic area of the mobile communication device fromthe means for locating the geographic area, prompting the user, via auser interface displayed on the display device and provided by anapplication running on the mobile device, to enter a merchant type ofinterest to the user, the user having a membership in asubscription-based shopping network, receiving user informationspecifying the merchant type via the input device, transmitting themerchant type, a geographical area, and a user identification to aserver system over the communication network via the antenna, receiving,from the server system over the communication network via the antennaafter authentication by the server system of the user identification toverify that the user has the membership in the subscription-basedshopping network, associated information for a matched merchant thatparticipates in the subscription-based shopping network, that has aphysical location within the geographic area, and that is associatedwith the merchant type in a database that stores information pertainingto merchants participating in the subscription-based shopping networkand that is accessed by the server system, the associated informationcomprising a merchant name, information regarding the physical locationof the matched merchant, and a promotional offer offered by the matchedmerchant, the promotional offer incentivizing the user to visit thephysical location of the matched merchant and demonstrate the user'smembership in the subscription-based shopping network to receive adiscount on a product or a service from the matched merchant; andpresenting the associated merchant information via the user interfacedisplayed on the display device.
 16. The mobile communication device ofclaim 15, wherein the means for locating the geographic area comprisesthe user input device that prompts the user of the mobile communicationdevice to input the information relating to the geographic area of themobile communication device.
 17. The mobile communication device ofclaim 15, wherein the means for locating the geographic area comprises adevice having global positioning system capabilities.
 18. The mobilecommunication device of claim 15, wherein the means for locating thegeographic area comprises sending a signal via the antenna to atelecommunications service carrier and receiving location informationfrom the telecommunications service carrier via the antenna.
 19. Themobile communication device of claim 15, wherein the user identificationinformation comprises one or more of a user name and a password.
 20. Acomputer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storingmachine instructions that, when executed by a server system comprisingone or more programmable processors, cause the server system to performfunctions comprising: receiving, over a communication network from themobile device, a user inputted search for a merchant type within ageographical area and a user identification, the request having beenreceived at the mobile device via a user interface presented by anapplication that runs on the mobile device; authenticating the useridentification to verify that the user has a membership in asubscription-based shopping network; accessing a database storinginformation pertaining to merchants participating in thesubscription-based shopping network, the accessing comprisingidentifying a matched merchant of the merchants participating in thesubscription-based shopping network, the matched merchant having aphysical location within the geographical area and being associated inthe database with the merchant type; retrieving, from the database,associated information for the matched merchant, the associatedinformation comprising a name of the matched merchant, informationregarding the physical location of the matched merchant, and apromotional offer offered by the matched merchant, the promotional offerincentivizing the user to visit the physical location of the matchedmerchant and demonstrate the user's membership in the subscription-basedshopping network to receive a discount on a product or a service fromthe matched merchant; and transmitting,over the communication networkfor presentation to the user via the user interface on the mobilecommunication device, the associated information.